{"id":28213,"date":"2015-09-08T05:48:36","date_gmt":"2015-09-08T11:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=28213"},"modified":"2026-04-15T17:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T22:12:12","slug":"a-lovely-september-afternoon-at-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/09\/08\/a-lovely-september-afternoon-at-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Lovely September Afternoon at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LovelyLovely Afternoon at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Nikon D300, handheld, f8, 1\/800, ISO 400, +1.7, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I am camping in one of my favorite locations in the world right now, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> in Montana.<\/p>\n

The air is crisp, every thing is changing color and the aspen leaves are turning golden. I’ve seen birds and taken images of a Sora and a family of Trumpeter Swans.<\/p>\n

As I went to sleep last night I could see the stars twinkling and the dark velvety sky. I am very much looking forward to spending the next several days unwinding in the beautiful Centennial Valley.<\/p>\n

Life is good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge photos plus facts and information about this refuge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am camping in one of my favorite locations in the world right now, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174960,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,223,12,608],"tags":[970,4101,8817,615,4094,4069,4092,4018,12274,3996,4095],"class_list":["post-28213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-autumn","tag-clouds","tag-color","tag-lower-lake","tag-marsh","tag-mountains","tag-refuge","tag-sky","tag-unwinding","tag-water","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-september-mia-mcpherson-8088.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-7l3","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":918,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/09\/21\/ive-added-a-new-favorite-location\/","url_meta":{"origin":28213,"position":0},"title":"I’ve Added A New Favorite Location","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 21, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"You can find\u00a0my information and photos\u00a0of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge here","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sunlit fence at the lower campground of Red Rock Lakes NWR, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-sunset-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-sunset-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-sunset-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-sunset-mia-mcpherson-2551.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5268,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/30\/clearing-storm-at-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":28213,"position":1},"title":"Clearing Storm at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As many of my regular viewers know I love Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. Just by being there I can feel my blood pressure drop, a sense of peace flows through my body and my mind (and camera) focuses on the wonders and intricacies of nature.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Morning delight at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2-7475.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2-7475.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2-7475.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-nwr-clearing-storm-mia-mcpherson-2-7475.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2551,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/06\/19\/red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge-rockin-weather\/","url_meta":{"origin":28213,"position":2},"title":"Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge – Rockin’ Weather","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"While at the refuge it rained, it hailed, there was thunder, lighting and at times even gale force winds but the biggest weather surprise after leaving the refuge was seeing snow falling lightly near Lima, MT... in June.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stormy sky over the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/red-rock-lakes-stormy-skies-mia-mcpherson-2432.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28906,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/10\/05\/american-white-pelican-in-a-fog-at-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":28213,"position":3},"title":"American White Pelican In A Fog At Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This American White Pelican image was taken on my first camping trip to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican in a fog at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-fog-mia-mcpherson-6412.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-fog-mia-mcpherson-6412.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-fog-mia-mcpherson-6412.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-fog-mia-mcpherson-6412.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4663,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/21\/mountain-bluebird-male\/","url_meta":{"origin":28213,"position":4},"title":"Mountain Bluebird Male","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"How blue can blue be? 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